At the Parts Life Inc. Family of Companies, we believe in the power of servant leadership and giving back all year round. While serving the warfighter and U.S. taxpayers is our primary mission, our commitment to society extends beyond meeting the needs of our valued customers. From our CEO to our interns, every member of our team understands the importance of empowering others around them and helping those in need within our local community and beyond.
The values of servant leadership and giving back are deeply ingrained in our company's culture. This year, the leadership team provided each employee with a pay it forward check of $200 for employees to donate to a person or charity of their choice. Using the honor system, each employee will have the opportunity to bless someone in need outside of the company.
For the past eight years, the Parts Life, Inc. Family of Companies have provided a holiday meal, gifts, and groceries to the women and children at Catholic Social Services Visitation Homes in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. Visitation Homes, a ministry of Catholic Social Services, offers affordable housing for women transitioning from homelessness to independent living. With 20 units available for mothers and their children, the program helps women work towards financial independence through employment, job training, and education. Every year, the PLI and DeVal teams travel to Kensington to personally donate gifts to the families, as well as serving a warm holiday meal to the single mothers and children.
We're also proud to support education and technical skills for students in the Philadelphia region. DeVal Lifecycle Support's involvement with Ben Franklin High School's Advanced Manufacturing Center marks a significant step in enhancing the educational landscape. Our support through mentorships and contributions helps enrich the learning experience for students interested in manufacturing. This partnership underscores a commitment to hands-on, practical learning in trades.
This year we collected a total of 988 lbs of leftover Halloween candy for the Soldiers' Angels Treats for Troops Program. The Treats for Troops program collect and distributes excess candy to local VA hospitals and deployed service members, and we are honored to serve as an official drop-off site. We are grateful for the opportunity to support this meaningful program and bring some cheer to those who are serving or have served our country.
Parts Life, Inc. actively supported STEM education by participating in the SeaPerch and SeaGlide challenges in Philadelphia, engaging students in hands-on scientific exploration. The SeaGlide Challenge, a unique educational event co-hosted with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD), and Temple University, saw students build and operate autonomous underwater vehicles. It emphasized practical STEM applications and teamwork.
The SeaPerch Challenge, also in collaboration with NSWCPD and Temple University, involved middle and high school students in designing, building, and testing ROVs to navigate through water courses. Both events aimed to spark interest in STEM careers by providing a platform for innovation and problem-solving. Parts Life Inc.'s support for these initiatives highlights our dedication to fostering technical skills and nurturing young talent in the community.
Other activities included STEM and student support at Rowan University and Rowan College at Burlington County throughout the year. Recognizing the importance of continuing to build a skilled workforce for the defense industrial base to thrive, our team took the time to interact with STEM students and provide them a meal and advice for their schooling and impending careers. In addition to our in-person support activities, we’re thrilled to financially support the programs as well.
In our commitment to community welfare, our company has supported the Food Bank of South Jersey for the past 10 years. This organization plays a crucial role in addressing food insecurity and providing essential assistance in the South Jersey area. Food banks like this not only distribute food to those in need but also often engage in community outreach, nutritional education, and advocacy to address food insecurity at a systemic level. Demonstrating our commitment to making a difference, team members from the Parts Life, Inc. Family of Companies participated in the Food Bank’s annual Hunger Games. Our team engaged in the cooking challenge, combining culinary skills with teamwork to support the Food Bank’s hunger-relief efforts. Proceeds from the event went towards the Food Bank’s programs, reinforcing our commitment to community support.
Our company is dedicated to supporting our community through meaningful work opportunities and participated in the PA Talent Pipeline Project Career Discovery Day this year. This initiative is essential in connecting individuals with diverse career paths, offering a glimpse into various industries, and facilitating meaningful networking with professionals. By backing this project, we aim to bridge the gap between education and employment, ensuring a skilled and well-informed workforce for the future.
In 2023, we also proudly supported the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) by hosting the kickoff to National Entrepreneurship Week at our Prototype Integration Facility in Moorestown, NJ. Bringing together industry leaders from regional colleges and organizations, our team was thrilled to host student speakers who highlighted how higher education, infused with entrepreneurship and innovation, helped open doors to new opportunities in their own entrepreneurial journeys. We were also thrilled to support and the participating in the NACCE 2023 National Conference. Held in Nashville, TN, the event themed "The Beat of Collaboration," focusing on entrepreneurial mindset and innovative action across various disciplines such as STEM, Workforce, Entrepreneurship, Business Administration, and Development.
Finally, our company supports the SamT Foundation. The SamT Foundation was started by PLI president and CEO Sam Thevanayagam in 2017, with the goal of empowering underprivileged young adults with leadership and life skills necessary to success in a fast-changing world. Using the game of cricket to connect with these youth, the Micah Cricket Club was started to bring practical leadership skills along with the word of Jesus Christ to underprivileged youth in Southeast Asia and other cricket playing countries. In 2023, the Micah Cricket Club (MCC) hosted transformative cricket events in Chennai, Punjab, Shillong, and Sri Lanka, engaging over 1,000 youth in leadership and sports. Tournaments like the Chennai Cricket Tournament united diverse communities, while our Pakistan initiative used cricket to foster harmony in challenging regions. Each program underlines our commitment to using sports as a tool for social change and community building, demonstrating cricket's power to bridge divides and develop future leaders.
From all of us at the Parts Life, Inc. Family of Companies, we thank our customers, suppliers, employees, and everyone in between who have helped make this year a success. Without your support, we would not be able to carry forward the good works that we were created in God’s image to do. Thank you, we wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a wonderful New Year.
"In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Acts 20:35
"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid." John 14:27
“I have always thought of Christmas time as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.”― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
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